Price

Outdoor living, Andaluz style

Here you will really appreciate the fresh air, sunshine and birdsong of a delightful rural landscape.

Not so very long ago this was a humble shepherd´s house. No longer! Now it is offered as a cheerful holiday home in an excellent location with great views.

It still retains its large original estate, 10,000 m2, planted with olive and almond trees where once the goats used to roam. So, there's plenty of space to spread out and really enjoy outdoor living, Andaluz style.

Amid gently rolling hillsides in the heart of Andalucía, it's a great place to be - private and intimate, tranquil and unspoilt. A place to really appreciate the fresh air, sunshine and birdsong of a delightful rural landscape.

All on one level, it is comfortable and decently equipped, yet still retains its lovely old character. Original terracotta floors, windows and walls are still there and existing materials have been used in its restoration wherever possible.

Cheerful

The house is well finished and furnished, colourful and comfortable, but still with that 'rustic' feel that an old cottage like this deserves.

The house is well finished and furnished in typical Spanish style. Both bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and good sized, comfortable beds.

Wooden beams, earthen tiles, cane ceilings, original doors and windows have been carefully restored to maintain the rustic atmosphere. These are complimented by modern appliances - a dishwasher, central heating and satellite TV.

The result is charming, still with that 'rustic' feel that an old cottage like this deserves. There are other advantages too: for example, the original thick walls offer insulation which few modern constructions can match, retaining warmth in winter and keeping the hot summer sun at bay.

Good as it is inside, our guess is that you will want to spend as much time as possible outdoors, enjoying a barbecue, perhaps, or lounging by the pool.

Countryside bliss

Views extend over nearby hills, the high, rocky peaks of Las Nieves and the forest-covered Montes de Malaga to the Mediterranean Sea in the far distance.

There is plenty of terrace space and a porch from which to enjoy the delightful scenery and the mature gardens. Wherever you are on the property, you will be surrounded by rolling hills and countryside bliss.

The grounds rest within an area that feels like genuine working farmland rather than a holiday destination and the views are truly wonderful.

Beginning at nearby hills, they encompass the high, rocky mountains of the Sierra de Las Nieves and the forest-covered Montes de Malaga with the Mediterranean sea in the far distance: you are looking south over a significant area of the Province of Malaga.

Plus, of course, the added attraction of the lovely, good-sized (8.5 metres) swimming pool, making this holiday home a perfect spot for relaxing, outdoor living.

The heart of Andalucia

If you want to venture further a field, to magnificent landscapes, Mediterranean beaches or to the great historic cities, you could not be better placed.

An extra offered at this property is the opportunity to make use of the facilities of an associated spa hotel some five minutes' drive away. By paying for what you wish, as if you were a hotel guest, you can play tennis, arrange horse riding and enjoy the spa baths and treatments. They sometimes have bicycles for hire, too, and there's a restaurant.

Banks and restaurants are 8 minutes away in Villanueva de la Concepcion with simple shopping and a bar closer still, in La Higuera, 2 km from here.

Nature lovers will be drawn here by the fact that the property is located on the southern slopes of El Torcal, a magnificent 1,100 hectare National Park of massive, Mars-like mountains of eroded rock formations. Here the imagination plays tricks as giants, monsters and castles seem to appear before your eyes.

Unique in Europe, this dreamy, surrealistic landscape has inspired generations of artists and film makers as well as climbers, walkers and nature lovers. Rare birds of prey, Spanish ibex and wild orchids are just some of the attractions. The sunsets are a bit special too.

There's lots more beauty close at hand, too: the Montes de Málaga, El Chorro, Guadalteba Lake (and its narrow pass, Los Gaitanes) all offer an incredible variety of topography and natural wealth.

And not just beautiful countryside ... here you are just 20 minutes away from Antequera, a very pretty town with an almost medieval air and a history to match. It's so much more than just another sleepy, sun-soaked 'pueblo' of Southern Spain.

Antequera lies in the very heart of Andalucía, 46 kilometres inland from the Costa del Sol, just off the motorway network which links Sevilla, Málaga, Granada and Córdoba. With Ronda and Marbella also close at hand it is, truly, the "Crossroads of Andalucía".

So, if you want to venture further a field, whether it be to visit magnificent landscapes, the beaches of the Costa del Sol or to the great historic cities of Andalucía, you could not be better placed.

ZX 19

2020 Season Dates

Week

Fortnight

Prices Pending

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Security Deposit

A 250 Euro security deposit is required on each booking. This is held against your credit or debit card and will be cancelled one week after your holiday, subject to any reductions for breakages or damage. See Terms and Conditions for full details.

Nearest Airports

See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.

Around and About

This is an excellent base from which to explore this delightful and very beautiful part of Andalucía.

Excursions

Nature lovers will be drawn here by the fact that the property is located on the southern slopes of El Torcal, a magnificent 1,100 hectare National Park of massive, Mars-like mountains of eroded rock formations. Here the imagination plays tricks as giants, monsters and castles seem to appear before your eyes.

Unique in Europe, this dreamy, surrealistic landscape has inspired generations of artists and film makers as well as climbers, walkers and nature lovers. Rare birds of prey, Spanish ibex and wild orchids are just some of the attractions. The sunsets are a bit special too.

To the south-west lies an area of mountains, pine and eucalyptus forests cut by wide river valleys, of which the Río Guadalhorce is the most well known, a land of small farms, fertile fields and rural villages. This is the region known as El Chorro and the Lake District of Ardales.

The scenery in the higher reaches of the valley, just to the north of Álora, is dramatic. Garganta del Chorro is a huge natural gorge, 180 metres high, three kilometres long, spanned by an ancient iron bridge. It offers some very challenging rock climbing, walking and hang-gliding and is a favourite place for the extreme sport set.

A dam at the head of the gorge has created Andalucía's very own Lake District, three turquoise blue lakes bordered by pine forests. This is an altogether more tranquil retreat, a place to swim, fish and canoe or just to picnic by the lake shore or enjoy a glass of wine and a bite to eat at a local taverna.

Wonderful terrain for walkers, too, with shaded paths through oak forests and olive groves and gentler, scenic routes along the shores of the lakes.

To the north west of Antequera, the flat agricultural lands yield up to Andalucia's largest natural lake, Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, also know as "The Pink Lagoon" because it is the only inland breeding ground of pink flamingos outside of Africa.

To the south and west of Antequera, La Sierra de las Nives (literally, the mountains of the snows) is, some would argue, the most beautiful National Park in all Andalucía. It is certainly one of Spain's richest natural enclaves, now protected by UNESCO with Biosphere Reserve status.

It's most prized treasure is the Spanish fir tree, an almost extinct relic of the Ice Age. It is also famous for its potholes, including the third deepest in the world, a mere 1,098 metres! Many are still to be explored.

Immediately beyond Colmenar, take the wonderful road through Las Montes de Málaga which winds through the forested hillsides down to the coast. Remote and peaceful, it's a gentle, hilly area criss-crossed by streams which have carved small valleys, extensively planted with pine trees and ancient Mediterranean species too, holm oak, corks and carib trees, making it an ideal habitat for the chameleons and other protected species of wildlife and birds of prey which reside here. The lovely scenery, and some great views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea below, can also be enjoyed on any one of numerous walking routes through the Park.

For "civilisation" look no further than Antequera, a very pretty town with an almost medieval air and a history to match. It's so much more than just another sleepy, sun-soaked 'pueblo' of Southern Spain.

For seaside destinations you are spoiled for choice. To the east of Málaga there's Torre del Mar, still very Spanish in character, and Nerja a little further along the coast offering 16 kilometres of beaches with powdery sand and sparkling clear water.

To the west of Málaga, try the resort towns of Estepona and Marbella. Estepona is a little quieter than most of the Mediterranean resorts and still retains some of its old, fishing village character. The same cannot be said of Marbella, but if you want to check out what the beautiful people are doing, with their designer shops and jet-set marinas, or just enjoy the sparkling sun, sand and sea, this is the place to be.

Granada is, of course, a must-see city. Soaring high above is the spectacular back drop of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains. And what a city lies below, a city of classical beauty, the jewel in the Spanish Crown.

You are not far from the motorway network which links Sevilla, Málaga, Granada and Córdoba so all the great cities of Andalucía are easy to get to from here. Ronda too.

The world is your oyster!

Activities

An extra offered at this property is the opportunity to make use of the facilities of an associated spa hotel some five minutes' drive away. By paying for what you wish, as if you were a hotel guest, you can play tennis, arrange horse riding and enjoy the spa baths and treatments. They sometimes have bicycles for hire, too.

Horse riding is available nearby. For walkers and all nature lovers you have some of the most varied and beautiful terrain in all Europe on your doorstep. See above.

Very challenging rock climbing, walking, hang-gliding and other extreme sports are available at El Chorro.

For golf enthusiasts, many speak very highly of the course at Antequera (just 20 minutes away).

All major water sports are also available on the Costa del Sol including water skiing, scuba diving, snorkelling and sailing.

The Area

Around Antequera

At the crossroads of Andalucia, here you will find landscapes of striking beauty that have inspired generations of artists … Read more

Villanueva

The handsome hill town of Villanueva de la Concepción (population 3,300), at the foot of the Torcal Nautural Park, is well used to welcoming visitors …